Work and study support
The Individual Placement and Support (IPS) program and the Digital Work and Study Service (DWSS) help people with mental ill health achieve their work or study goals. One-on-one support is provided through:
- headspace centre work and study for young people
- headspace online work and study for young people
- Medicare Mental Health Centres work and study support for adults
A formal diagnosis is not required to access these programs. Clinical staff in the centres can establish if the person has a mental illness.
headspace centre work and study support for young people
The IPS program is delivered to young people in 50 headspace centres across Australia. To access headspace work and study support(Opens in a new tab/window), a young person needs to:
- be aged 12 to 25 years with mental ill health
- be an eligible client of a participating headspace centre
- have work, study or training goals and be facing barriers to achieving these goals
- be willing to participate in the service
- be able to make an informed decision to participate.
headspace work and study(Opens in a new tab/window) specialists provide one-on-one support. They collaborate with a young person’s mental health clinician. Support continues for as long as it is needed, even after work and study goals have been achieved.
There are many ways this program can help a young person, including:
- looking for and applying for jobs
- writing job applications or resumes
- preparing for a job interview
- transitioning into a new job or training course
- looking at different study options
- enrolling in a course
- navigating community support systems and government agencies such as Services Australia
- balancing mental health and wellbeing with work and study.
Peer worker pilot
Six headspace centres are piloting the use of peer workers to provide work and study support to young people. Peer workers have lived experience of mental health challenges and recovery while looking for work or studying. They work with headspace staff, other health workers, and members of the local community to support young people.
headspace online work and study support for young people
The DWSS is delivered by web chat, video conferencing, email and phone to young people with mental ill health aged 15 to 25 years.
Online work and study can help young people overcome employment barriers, build confidence and find work or study in an area of interest. It can also help young people to:
- connect with a headspace online work and study specialist
- access online resources
- talk to other young people in group chats
- get support from a mental health clinician
- link with a volunteer career mentor through the online Career Mentoring Service.
The mentoring service connects young people across Australia with a working professional who they may otherwise be unable to connect with. The service aims to support young people to build successful and fulfilling careers, develop resilience to navigate shifting job markets and transition between roles.
Medicare Mental Health Centre work and study support for adults
The IPS program is being piloted in the Midland, Western Australia and Darwin, Northern Territory Medicare Mental Health Centres. Vocational staff help adults with study options to increase the chance of finding work, get back into work, provide guidance on how to change career paths, and partner with potential employers.
The program can also help to:
- create or update a resume and cover letter
- prepare for an interview
- talk with a new employer about feeling safe at work
- provide support when starting a new job or study
- provide ongoing job support.
Eligible adults of Midland and Darwin Medicare Mental Health Centres experiencing mental ill health can access this pilot.
Locations
Guidelines
The following guidelines provide the operational frameworks for delivering services and form the basis of the business relationship between us and service providers:
Evaluation
The following evaluations have informed the development of the work and study program and services:
- IPS Literature Review conducted in 2020 to identify opportunities to improve the IPS program.
- 2020 Report on the Value for Money for IPS comparing the IPS program to other existing employment support programs for young people in relation to its economic and social impacts.
- June 2019 Evaluation Report of IPS by KPMG examining the appropriateness, effectiveness, and efficiency of the IPS program within a headspace setting.
- 2020 Digital Work and Study Service Evaluation by KPMG.